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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23325541">Kar'am</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mxartbotboy/pseuds/mxartbotboy'>mxartbotboy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Taylir Ca'nara (Keeping Time) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mandalorian (LadyIrina AU), The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddling, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Sleepy anxiety in the middle of the night, They are in love and that's all that matters, it's 1AM and I barely edited this don't come for me, soft</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 16:29:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,404</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23325541</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mxartbotboy/pseuds/mxartbotboy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Corin sat up, Din’s arm slipping to rest limp across his hips. Barely noticing the prickle of cool air against his chest and hardly daring to look down at the man next to him, Corin’s gaze slid over to the table on the far side of the room where through the dim was clearly another shape. The unmistakable curve of a helmet.</p><p>Right.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Corin the Stormtrooper (Rescue and Regret)/The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Taylir Ca'nara (Keeping Time) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1702948</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>224</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Kar'am</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/21758992">Family and Home</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyIrina/pseuds/LadyIrina">LadyIrina</a>.
        </li>

    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was the breath on the back of his neck.</p><p>Cocooned in the warmth of the blankets, Corin pressed his cheek deeper into the pillow, hovering in a state of half-sleep. His eyelids flickered and he was vaguely aware of the weight of an arm draped closely around his waist. The edges of a dream danced just out of reach, colours and shapes almost materializing into something recognizable, and Corin tried to sink himself back into safe haven that was sleep.</p><p>But the arm around his waist shifted, tightening just slightly and pressing him closer against the body already curved around him. Blinking unconsciously at the movement, Corin squinted at the sliver of light creeping through the bottom of the door into their room. It was just enough to illuminate the faintest outlines of furniture; a table, a chair, the crib that Corin knew was empty tonight. Their shapes grew of out of the darkness as his eyes adjusted, and he blinked a second, and then a third time. He could feel the grips of lucidity trying to take hold. Maybe, if he closed his eyes, he could still wander back into his dream…</p><p>All thoughts of sleep, however, were blown away with a hot wash of breath spilling across the back of his neck, sending goosebumps racing down his spine. Corin froze at the unfamiliar feeling, eyes wide. Another breath followed the first, this time with a soft snore. Din.</p><p>Like a light switch being turned on, the memories of the previous evening flooded back in full force. Vows before the Armourer. Din’s hand in his. The heaviness of the helmet. Dark eyes, curly hair. Kissing so intense it almost burned. Skin against skin. Din’s voice, fully unmodulated, sighing into his ear: <em>ner kar'ta, ner kar'ta</em>.</p><p>Corin sat up, Din’s arm slipping to rest limp across his hips. Barely noticing the prickle of cool air against his chest and hardly daring to look down at the man next to him, Corin’s gaze slid over to the table on the far side of the room where through the dim was clearly another shape. The unmistakable curve of a helmet.</p><p> </p><p>Right.</p><p> </p><p>There was a funny tightness straining in Corin’s chest. He couldn’t see the visor of the helmet but it was as if it were staring at him, cold and accusing.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>What have you done?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>He released a shaky exhale, the urge to run nearly overwhelming him as the voice in his head hissed. Din had taken his helmet off. He had seen Din’s <em>face</em>. Stars, Din had smiled at him and it was the strangest and most wonderful thing, familiar and new all at once.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>What have you done?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Corin pressed a hand to his mouth. Surely, surely this wasn’t happening. This wasn’t the kind of luck he’d ever thought he’d have, let alone deserve. Din would wake up and realize the huge mistake he’d made. The Creed, the Way, everything Din held dear would be for nothing. He would lose all of it and it would be because of Corin.</p><p>Yanking the blankets back, Corin swung his legs out, the floor icy on his feet and face hot. A sleepy groan echoed behind him, Din’s hand skimming at Corin’s hip, “Corin?”</p><p>Corin swallowed the lump in his throat, “Go back to sleep.” His voice was hoarse and quiet and he struggled to keep his breathing even. A bassy thrum pounded in his ears.</p><p>The mattress dipped, blankets shuffling as Din pushed himself up, “Is everything okay?”</p><p>“It’s fine.” This time Corin couldn’t hide the tremor in his words. A large hand rested on his back, stroking across to his shoulder. Corin wanted to pull away from the touch but it was also the only thing he wanted in that moment.</p><p>“Corin,” No voice had the right to be that gentle, “Tell me what’s wrong.”</p><p>Corin’s fingers were gripping so tightly into the mattress they hurt. He wished that he could lie, tell Din that nothing was wrong. But that steady hold on his back was like a grounding rod, an insistence against the voice in his head telling him to run. Corin sucked in a slow breath and dropped his head down, “I’m sorry.”</p><p>“For what?” A second hand joined the first, rubbing soothing circles into Corin’s shoulder blades.</p><p>“For…” Corin gestured towards the helmet on the table, “Your helmet. You..”</p><p>Din paused, hands centred along Corin’s spine. Heaving in another breath, Corin’s words spilled out in a frantic rush, “You took it off for me.”</p><p>“I did.” Din shifted closer, “You are my <em>riduur</em> now. It is my right.”</p><p>“But what if it was a mistake?”</p><p>The words were so quiet but they hung heavy between the two of them. Din was still and silent for a long moment. The pounding grew louder Corin’s ears and he stared into the darkness of the room, doing everything in his power to resist the flight response vibrating through his core. He jumped at the rumble of Din’s voice when he finally spoke:</p><p>“Do you think it was a mistake?”</p><p>Corin whipped around, “No! I-”</p><p>Even though it was dim, there was enough light to reflect off of the dark eyes watching him and catch a stray curly lock resting across a frowning forehead. The words died in Corin’s mouth, too caught up in the face he had yet to remember the details of.</p><p>Din sighed, “Close your eyes <em>cyar’ika</em>.” He cupped the side of Corin’s face, thumb pulling lightly at his temples. It was encouraging and firm, and upon letting his eyelids drift closed, Corin felt Din’s forehead press into his. He relaxed into the familiar gesture.</p><p>“Do you remember our conversation a few nights ago?”</p><p>Corin clutched his hands together absently, “Yes.” Sitting in the mess with their <em>ad’ika</em> eating dinner, similar panicked thoughts had arisen, prompting Corin to ask Din if he was sure. About marrying. About <em>him</em>.</p><p>“And do you remember what I told you?”</p><p>“‘I will never be as sure of anything as I am of you.’” Corin opened his eyes, “I remember.”</p><p>“Good.” Din leaned back a little bit with a smile. He really was so incredibly beautiful, Corin thought. He could have stared at Din for hours, examining every divot and crease and freckle until he could have drawn it from memory. He didn’t have hours, not now. With a jolt, though, Corin realized that he did have the rest of his life.</p><p>He reached up to wrap his hand around Din’s, “I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t be. I know this is a lot of change for you. But,” Din’s other hand came up so he could hold Corin’s jaw with both, “I love you, <em>ner kar'ta</em>. That’s never going to change.”</p><p>Din’s skin was hot and smooth as Corin dragged his fingertips down to wrap lightly around Din’s wrist. The voice in his head was quieting, enough that he was able to remember all of the reasons why he was allowed to be loved like this. Snow tickling his cheek. A gloved palm on the back of his neck. Wide dark eyes blinking up at him with a head tilt so much like his father’s.</p><p>Pushed forward by a sudden surge of motivation, Corin leaned in to touch his lips to Din’s. He made a small noise of surprise, but the kiss was soft and lingering, and he angled his head so they could move their mouths in tandem. It was these kisses that Corin wanted to drown in. Everything was warm and close and he could hear the little breaths puffing from Din’s nose.</p><p>When they pulled away, Corin felt full again, full like he was supposed to be. He stroked a thumb across Din’s pulse point, “Let’s go back to sleep, <em>cyare</em>.”</p><p>They situated themselves back under the blankets, Din on his back and Corin tucked beneath his chin, heading resting on his shoulder. Din’s hand was tracing lines up and down his upper arm, but they quickly slowed as Din sank back into sleep. Corin lay awake for a few minutes more, feeling the rise and fall of Din’s chest beneath him. In the far recesses of his mind, that voice was still whispering fervently. He supposed that it always would be. But instead, he listened to the breaths of his <em>riduur</em>. Each exhale tugged at his hair and tickled across his forehead.</p><p>And Corin slept.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Alright, I impulsively posted this so I hope it's as enjoyable as my sleep-addled brain thinks it is.</p><p>Hit me up on tumbr at <a href="https://mxartbotboy.tumblr.com">mxartbotboy</a> and say hi!</p><p>Are you queer and want a place to talk about Star Wars, including Mandorin? Join the <a>Star Queers Discord server</a>!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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